Stalk cutter



' Nov. 15-, 1932. w, J, MICHAL A 1,887,818

STALK cumm Filed Dec. 15. 1950 Patented Nov. 15, 1932 I =1 I i v UNITED STATES PATENT Da ce Application filed December 15,4930. serial No. 502,558

This invention relates to agricultural malaterallyextended ends 9 to receive the'bolts I chines, and more particularly to machines 10, for securing the hangers in position. known as stalk cutters, the primary object of Bearing blocks 11 are fitted'in the ban ers, the invention being to provide a machine of and are secured in position by means the this character which will be exceptionally bolts 12, the bearing blocks being formed cheap to manufacture, and one wherein the with bearing openings to receive the shaftsweight of. the machine will act to force the 13 that extend fromthe' blade-supporting chopping blades through the stalks being member 14,the shaftsl13 being shown as exchopped by the machine. tended into the member 14, where they are Another object of the invention is to prosecured by means of bolts'18.

vide a machine of this character wherein the Blades 15 extend-throughout the length of rotary cutting blades thereof will operate by the blade supporting member 14,- and are contact with the ground surface over which shown as extending therefrom, the edges of the machine is moving. the blades being beveled as at 16, providing A still further object of the invention is cutting surfaces. Curved arms 17 are sethe provision of skids so constructed that cured to the member 14 by means of the bolts they will support the weight of the machine, 18 that are shown as passing through the when the machine is being moved, from place member 14 and arms 17, the blades being to place, thereby relieving the blades of unarranged in predetermined spaced relation due wear caused by the cutting edges thereof wlth each other. Thus it will be seen that contacting with the ground surface. due to the construction shown and described, Another important object of the invention the blades may be readily and easily disis to construct a stalk cutter in such a way connected from the member 14, and the dethat the blades may be readily removed, vice used for rolling the ground surface.

should it be desired to use the device as a The reference character 19 designatesskids roller. that are secured to the bars 5, the'forward lVith the foregoing and other objectsin ends of the skids being curved as at 20, to view, which will appear as the description cause the skids to ride over irregularities.

M proceeds, the invention resides in the com- When the cutter is being moved from place bination and arrangement of parts and in the to place, the frame may be inverted, so that details of construction hereinafter described the weight of the device will be supported on and claimed, it being understood that the skids 19, relieving the blades of unneceschanges in the precise embodiment of the insary wear when moving the device.

vention herein disclosed, may be made with- The reference character 21 designates a U in the scope of what is claimed, without decross bar that has its ends connected to the parting from the spirit of the invention. bars 5, by means of bolts 22, the bar 21 acting Referring to the drawing: to hold the bars 5 in proper spaced relation Figure 1 is a plan view of a stalk cutter with each other at all times. a m constructed in accordance with the invention. A hook 23 is provided at the front end of I, Figure 2 is a sectlonal view through the the device, and affords means whereby a cutter. chain, cable, or other towing mechanism, may

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional vlew be hooked to the device. taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2. Mounted in advance of the blades 15, are

Referring to the drawing in detail, the rods 24 that extend rearwardly and have cotton chopper comprises a frame embodydownwardly extended portions25 that ening side bars 5 that have their forward ends gage the stalks being chopped, to guide them j extended towards each other, as at 6, where towards thecenter of the machine, to be cut they are connected by means of the bolts 7. by the blades 15.

K Hangers 8 are secured to the bars 5, the In the use of the device, the machine is mo hangers being U shaped and formed with moved over the ground surface, the blades acting as a; support for the machine, the weight of the machine forcin the blades through the stalks or material Icing cut by the device;

I claim:

In a stalk cutter, a frame comprising side bars, U-shaped hangers depending from the side bars,-bearing blocks fitted within the U-shaped hangers and fillin the space between the hangers and side bars, said hear ing blocks lindrical blade supporting member mounted between the bearing blocks, shafts extending into the ends of the cylindrical blade suporting member, bolts extending through the 'cylindrical blade supporting member and disposed at right angles with respect to each other, said bolts extending through the shafts securing the shafts against movement within said blades to T the cylindrical bladesupporting member, and

extending appreciable distances 7 beyond the v cylindrical blade supporting member to chop stalks over which is moved. Q

In testimony that I clam the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

WILLIAM J. MICHALKA.

having bearing openings, a cythe device 

